Peter Carroll was born in Sydney, New South Wales in 1944.

In his youth, Carroll was a boy soprano and won five awards in the City of Sydney Eisteddfodd in 1963.

[2] Carroll attended the University of Sydney, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts, and the University of New South Wales, where he earned a Master of Arts with Honours.

[2] While undertaking his education at the University of Sydney, he commenced amateur acting;[2] after graduating, he worked as a drama teacher for two years.

[citation needed] In 2003, Carroll received an honorary Doctorate of Creative Awards from the University of Wollongong.